Daly City, CA — A San Francisco woman is recovering from serious injuries after being brutally attacked and beaten outside a Daly City restaurant in what police describe as an attempted carjacking. The violent assault occurred late Thursday night at the Westlake Shopping Center, shocking residents of the usually quiet area.
The Attack
According to police, 31-year-old Nicole Malouf had just finished a shift at her pastry shop externship when she stopped at Nation’s Giant Hamburgers, a 24-hour restaurant at the Westlake Shopping Center.
As she walked out of the restaurant toward her car around 11:40 p.m., she was suddenly attacked by a man who repeatedly punched her while demanding her car keys.
“On her way out, a guy just starts punching her in the face, and constantly yelling ‘keys,’ and punching her and punching her,” said Tracie Tang, Malouf’s aunt. “And she falls to the ground, she gets back up, and he keeps punching her, until she’s able to grab the handle of the restaurant.”
Police said the suspect ran away after the attack. Malouf was left with severe facial and body injuries, including a fractured orbital bone, swelling across her face, and a large cut inside her mouth.
“She can’t open her eye, her chin is swollen, the whole right side of her face is swollen,” Tang told reporters.
Emotional Toll and Recovery
Tang has cared for Malouf since her mother died four years ago; Malouf’s father passed away when she was only seven. Tang described her niece as a hardworking young woman who had recently graduated from culinary school earlier this month and was pursuing her dream of becoming a pastry chef.
“I know she’s a little scared,” Tang said. “Even when I was at the hospital with her, she said, ‘Auntie Tray, I’m glad you’re here.’ I told her, ‘Yeah, there’s no way I wouldn’t be.’”
With Malouf currently uninsured, Tang created a GoFundMe page to help cover her niece’s medical expenses.
“Looking at the GoFundMe, it warms my heart that there are so many wonderful people out here, even the anonymous donors that have helped out,” Tang said.
Arrest of the Suspect
On October 18, just two days after the attack, police arrested 30-year-old Marc Joseph Buada of Daly City in connection with Malouf’s assault. Officers responded to a separate assault near Edgeworth Avenue and 87th Street early that morning and recognized similarities between the two cases.
According to Yahoo News, surveillance footage and evidence led investigators to identify Buada as the suspect in both incidents.
“Using video and physical evidence, detectives linked Buada to both assaults and took him into custody,” Daly City police confirmed.
Buada now faces multiple felony charges, including attempted carjacking and assault.
Community Reaction
The brutal attack has shaken regular visitors to the Westlake Shopping Center. Residents say they are now more cautious, especially at night.
“I come here often, that’s why I was so surprised to hear that this lady got beat up — that’s cold,” said Peaches Taylor of South San Francisco. “When I do come here, I’m usually not by myself, but I usually feel safe.”
Malouf and her family are focusing on recovery while processing the trauma of the assault. Tang said her niece is grateful to be alive — though she still struggles with fear and disbelief.
“She says, ‘I didn’t do anything, Auntie Tray, I was just walking out of the restaurant,’” Tang recalled. “She was even kind of mad that she lost her $45 worth of food.”
Police continue to investigate whether Buada may be connected to other similar incidents in the area.
What are your thoughts on this disturbing attack and the safety of late-night workers? Share your views in the comments below.
